Device for opening printed products and apparatus for processing printed products

Abstract

A device for opening printed products having a carrying body rotatable about an axis and a flow duct subjected to negative pressure. An adapter such as a suction head or a pneumatically controllable gripper is mounted in the carrying body and connected to the flow duct.

I claim: 
     
       1. A device for opening printed products comprising: a carrying body rotatable about an axis, the carrying body having a first and a second rotational position;   a flow duct subjected to pneumatic pressure for the first rotational position of the carrying body; and   a suction head removably connectable to the carrying body and connected to the flow duct; and   a pnuematically controllable gripper also removably connectable to the carrying body and connected to the flow duct.   
     
     
       2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the flow duct further comprises a connection opening connected to the suction head and the gripper. 
     
     
       3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the carrying body further comprises a receiving recess to receive the suction head and the gripper, the receiving recess being in communication with the connection opening of the flow duct. 
     
     
       4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the suction head comprises a suction-head body mounted in the receiving recess, the suction-head body having a sucker element and a through-passage in communication with both the connection opening and the sucker element. 
     
     
       5. The device according to claim 3 wherein the pneumatically controllable gripper comprises a gripper body disposed in the receiving recess, a cylindrical through-passage in communication with the connection opening, and a moveable piston disposed in the cylindrical through-passage, the moveable piston having a gripper tongue. 
     
     
       6. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a valve arrangement to connect the flow duct to a negative-pressure source when the carrying body is in the first rotational position, and to connect the flow duct to a positive-pressure source when the carrying body is in the second rotational position. 
     
     
       7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the valve arrangement includes a suction valve connected to the negative-pressure source, the suction valve having a valve-seat element and a valve body disposed in the valve-seat element and in communication with the carrying body, and a positive-pressure control valve connected to the positive-pressure source, the positive-pressure control valve having a valve-seat element and a valve body disposed in the valve-seat element and in communication with the carrying body. 
     
     
       8. The device according to claim 7 wherein the carrying body and the valve bodies of the suction valve and positive-pressure control valve are seated on a shaft rotatably driven about the axis of rotation for the carrying body, the valve bodies have valve openings in communication with the flow duct, the valve-seat element of the suction valve has a valve-seat opening connected to the negative-pressure source, and the valve-seat element of the positive-pressure control valve has a valve-seat opening connected to the positive-pressure source, the valve openings being capable of communication with the valve-seat openings. 
     
     
       9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the position of the carrying body is adjustable with respect to the shaft in the circumferential direction. 
     
     
       10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a blowing nozzle rotatable with the carrying body and in communication with a positive-pressure source, the blowing nozzle having an air jet for assisting the opening of the printed products. 
     
     
       11. The device according to claim 10, further comprising a blowing valve having a blowing-valve body rotatable with the carrying body, the blowing-valve also having a blowing-valve opening connected to the blowing nozzle, and a valve-seat element having a blowing-valve-seat opening in communication with the positive-pressure source, the blowing-valve opening being in communication with the blowing-valve-seat opening. 
     
     
       12. A device for opening printed products comprising: a carrying body rotatable about an axis, the carrying body having a first and a second rotational position;   a flow duct subjected to pneumatic pressure for the first rotational position of the carrying body; and   an adapter removably connectable to the carrying body and connected to the flow duct, the adapter being one of a suction head and a pneumatically controllable gripper, the suction head and the pneumatically controllable gripper being interchangeable with each other.   
     
     
       13. A device for opening printed products comprising: a carrying body rotatable about an axis, the carrying body having a first and a second rotational position;   a flow duct subjected to pneumatic pressure for the first rotational position of the carrying body; and   a pneumatically controlled gripper removably connectable to the carrying body and connected to the flow duct;   wherein the gripper is interchangeable with a suction head.